Grampian Hotel, Stirling Street
E82
DescriptionHotel designed by James Souttar 1869, with additions by William Henderson 1885. It is a large 3-storey and attic, Gothic style hotel on a triangular site with a central internal well. Built of tooled coursed granite with contrasting ashlar dressings. It has predominantly pointed arched windows to the upper storeys, the others segmental arched. It is partly crenellated with a crenellated round turret to the southwest and a round turret to the north at the apex of the triangle. There are pedimented and semicircular gabled wallhead dormers. The interior retains some original features, including painted glass depicted Scottish and British heraldic symbols. Later named Carmelite Hotel (also known as Grampian Hotel).It was used in World War II as a naval hostel. Watching brief and excavation was carried out by Aberdeen City Council Archaeological Unit in 2005 during redevelopment of the Grampian Hotel. The Grampian Hotel stands in the area between two of the four religious houses in medieval Aberdeen: the Trinitarian (foundation date unknown but certainly in existence by 1273) and the Carmelite founded by 1273. Removal of the old lift revealed well-preserved late prehistoric and medieval deposits in situ. Excavation uncovered a watercourse filled with lenses of gravel and organic layers containing a small number of pottery sherds, suggesting the watercourse had silted up by the late 12th century. The fill also contained two sherds of prehistoric pottery and three flints, presumably washed down stream from somewhere near the excavation site.. Above the silted up stream was an organic layer maximum 0.4m thick which contained wood and twigs but no dateable finds. This may have accumulated over a number of centuries and would suggest that this area was open grassland or a wooded area after the later 12th century.Location InfoNational Grid Reference: NJ 9418 0607
Easting: 394182.998248681, Northing: 806074.388154032
Postcode: AB11 6LZ
NotesCameron, A. (2005c) 'Grampian Hotel, Stirling Street (Aberdeen parish), excavation', Discovery Excav Scot, vol. 6, 2005.Reference Numbers
- NJ90NW0805
- NJ90NW1027
- 149135
